Inside Libraries

BBC Civilisations Festival

jeremy, February 12 2018

Welcome to the Civilisations Festival, an exciting partnership between museums, galleries, libraries and archives and the BBC to coincide with the broadcast of BBC Arts’ Civilisations series in Spring 2018.

The Festival – from Friday 2 March to Sunday 11 March – will be a showcase of ideas and events designed to engage a culturally curious audience.

I’m excited about the Civilisations partnership because it represents a rare opportunity for museums of all kinds and at all scales to engage with the BBC at the local and national level, and to reach greater audiences

It is now nearly half a century since Kenneth Clark’s series Civilisation thrilled audiences with its authoritative interpretation of the glories of Western art. Inspired by that groundbreaking programme, the new series of Civilisations on BBC Two will introduce a new generation to the great masterworks of beauty, ingenuity and illumination created across the continents. The series will also be examining the questions of what makes a civilisation, and asking how different ideas of civilisations have reinforced different cultural ideas and values.

The new series of Civilisations on BBC Two will introduce a new generation to the great masterworks of beauty, ingenuity and illumination created across the continents. The series will also be examining the questions of what makes a civilisation, and asking how different ideas of civilisations have reinforced different cultural identities and values.

The Civilisations Festival will run alongside the series in Spring 2018. The BBC are inviting museums, galleries and libraries to schedule events to spark debate, broaden understanding and share ideas about what is meant by the term civilisation.

We are proud to say that Hampshire Libraries are hosting several events as official partners of the festival! Here’s a selection…

Winchester Discovery Centre‘History of Migration’: Exhibition
1 – 31 March / All day / see branch opening hours
History of Migration Exhibition by the U.O.W Modern History Research Centre
In 2017 the MHRC began its new series on ‘Minority History’, which discusses, presents and celebrates diversity in modern history.
The second theme in our Minority History Annual Event will be ‘People On The Move’
(migration/immigration in modern history). This exhibition highlights current investigations taken by early-career researchers from different universities around the country.
The panels explore historical perspectives, experiences and events linked to migration and communities in modern history across different countries.
Suitable for: 14-15, 16-17, 18+

Winchester Discovery Centre
University of Winchester’s Modern History Research Centre presents:Migration Talk: ‘The African Diaspora in Britain, Transnationalism, Pan-Africanism and Internationalism’
Thursday 8 March / 7:30-8:30pm / Free
Prof. Hakim Adi from the University of Chichester will be presenting his talk om ‘The African Diaspora in Britain, Transnationalism, Pan-Africanism and Internationalism’ as part of our Minority History Annual Event.
In 2017 the MHRC began its new series on ‘Minority History’, which discusses, presents and celebrates diversity in modern history. This year’s theme is ‘People On The Move’ (migration/immigration in modern history).
This talk is in conjunction with the ‘History of Migration’ exhibition on display in the Discovery Centre 1-31 March 2018. This exhibition highlights current investigations taken by early-career researchers from different universities around the country. The panels explore historical perspectives, experiences and events linked to migration and communities in modern history across different countries.
Suitable for: 16-17, 18+

Basingstoke Discovery Centre‘Fiction For All Tastes’: a writing workshop
Saturday 3 March / 11am – 3pm / £15
Contribute to Civilisation’s’ next creations! Do you enjoy hearing about books and the writing process? Are you an aspiring writer hoping to publish your own stories or novel? This 4-hour writing workshop is led by 2 award winning authors, writing in very different genres, who will explore the ideas behind their books and share tips on the writing process, current developments, Social Media and getting published through a mixture of talk, discussion and writing exercises.

Alton Library‘Austen Sisters’: dramatic performance of historic correspondence.
Tuesday 6 March / 7.30pm / £5
A diverting forty-minute dramatic and entertaining recital of readings from Jane and Cassandra Austen’s letters, prose and poetry about sisters, performed by local actress and speaker Rowan Suart. A fantastic insight into the life of one of Civilisation’s very best storytellers.

Fleet Library‘Fiction For All Tastes’: a writer’s talk
Wednesday 6 March / 7.30pm / £5
A chance for some guidance three creative minds. Join our panel of authors, writing in very different genres, who will discuss their latest books and share their tips on the writing process, the ideas behind their books, using a pseudonym and getting published.